The invention provides isolated and at least partially-purified dicamba-degrading
enzymes, isolated DNA molecules coding for dicamba-degrading enzymes, DNA constructs
coding for dicamba-degrading enzymes, transgenic host cells comprising DNA coding
for dicamba-degrading enzymes, and transgenic plants and plant parts comprising
one or more cells comprising DNA coding for dicamba-degrading enzymes. Expression
of the dicamba-degrading enzymes results in the production of dicamba-degrading
organisms, including dicamba-tolerant plants. The invention further provides a
method of controlling weeds in a field containing the transgenic dicamba-tolerant
plants of the invention and a method of decontaminating a material containing dicamba
comprising applying an effective amount of a transgenic microorganism or dicamba-degrading
enzyme of the invention to the material. Finally, the invention provides a method
of selecting transformed plants and plant cells based on dicamba tolerance and
a method of selecting or screening transformed host cells, intact organisms and
parts of organisms based on the fluorescence of 3,6-dichlorosalicylic acid produced
as a result of dicamba degradation.